Dutch prosecutors say they found no evidence of discrimination by staff at the country’s Tax Office in their efforts to track down parents fraudulently claiming child care benefits.
The Government had asked prosecutors to consider opening a criminal case in May amid reports of possible profiling by tax authorities seeking to identify fraudsters.
One of the criteria used to select parents for investigation was having dual nationality.
Over several years, thousands of parents have had their child care benefit payments stopped or were ordered to repay money amid fraud investigations.
Some parents were plunged into debt after being wrongly accused of falsely claiming benefits.
A Parliamentary inquiry issued a scathing report into the scandal last month, saying that “fundamental principles of the rule of law have been violated” in attempts to root out welfare fraud.
However, in a statement the Public Prosecution Service said that after analysing the case it found “no criminal suspicion” of Public Servants wrongfully claiming public funds or discriminating.
It said that because the Tax Office was part of the apparatus of Government, it was immune from prosecution.
“Responsibility for culpable acts attributable to the State must be sought in the political domain and not in criminal law,” the Prosecution Service said in a statement.
That could add to pressure on Prime Minister, Mark Rutte’s Government to take responsibility.
A parliamentary debate is expected to be held on the issue before a General Election scheduled for 17 March.
Government officials apologised for the scandal and in March and earmarked 500 million euros ($A790 million) to compensate more than 20,000 parents.
The Hague, 9 January 2021
